Highly Specialist Nurses and Therapists work together as an integrated team at Derwen College.
Medical and Therapy support is dependent on individual need.
An extensive range of therapies, medical and wellbeing support is available, including:
- Positive Behaviour Support
- Speech and Language therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Clinical psychology
- Physiotherapy
- Learning Disability Nurses
Many of our therapy services are integrated throughout various aspects of college life, including care, work and the social settings, to ensure students needs are met. Individual therapy sessions, e.g. hydrotherapy, are also available dependent upon funding.
Nursing Team and Therapy Team will assess students who have specific care needs. Support Practitioners work with both parents and professionals to ensure that students have the correct equipment and support while at College.
Where students need more specialist interventions, such as support with Gastronomy PEG/JEJ, staff will receive full training before the student starts at the College.
Universal Therapy Provision
All students at College benefit from a highly skilled staff base, enabling a universal approach to developing independence in preparation for adulthood and transition post College. Therapists’ recommendations, advice can be given to ensure strategies are embedded through the day and needs are met throughout College.
Direct Therapy Provision
For some students, additional direct therapy provision may be recommended to meet their needs. Direct therapy provision is individualised and specific to each student that requires it. Direct therapy requirement needs to be identified in the student’s EHCP/ILP and funded by the Local Authority. The therapists may recommend additions or alterations to EHCP/IDP outcomes and changes to therapy provision during annual reviews.
Direct therapy provision may take the form of guidance, strategies and advice to the student and their key staff, provision of equipment, visual resources, group work or 1:1 support for a short period of therapeutic intervention.
A student’s direct provision will be reviewed regularly, to ensure it meets their needs in the college environment. Therapy will be delivered in the most appropriate way to enable students to achieve their individual goals and outcomes.
Social, emotional and mental health support
To support our learners’ Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs, the college has ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) available to support students’ emotional needs and is available to all our students.
Clinical Psychology is available for a range of problems including trauma related issues, emotional problems, anxiety, depression and interpersonal relationship problems and bereavement support. Students can also spend time with the college therapy dog.
Healthy Lifestyle
All students are encouraged to participate in activities and to make healthy food choices.
Staff have a duty of care to ensure students are given encouragement and opportunities to make healthy food choices. However, staff will not impose food choices unless a student has a medical condition which requires a specific diet. This also includes choices around clubs, swimming, sports and attending social occasions.
If a student was assessed as lacking capacity around health and wellbeing then staff would take advice from their GP.
Staff will work with students to cater for specialist diets, allergies and cultural requirements.
Contact Us
For questions and queries regarding medical and therapy support at Derwen College, please contact:
Tomi Rekikoski (tomi.rekikoski@derwen.ac.uk)
Phoebe Irvine-Shuter (phoebe.irvine-shuter@derwen.ac.uk)